Those Lost Days
by false
Summary: When a man changes, it is always for the better? Does strength truly change a man, or is it something else? A Raven without a past seeks the answer to this, as the whispers gather and time marches on... Armored Core 4 spoilers present, reviews welcomed.
1. Part 1 and 2

Part 1 – Loss

He had been sound asleep when Fiona bopped him on the shoulder, startling him out of his slumber. The girl stood above him, a shadow with barely visible features against the setting sun beyond her. Slowly, he sat up and shook the long strands of grass off his body as Fiona gave him some room and giggled a bit at him. They were young, care free and innocent in a world ruled by greedy corporations. His blond hair patted against his face as the wind erupted in a momentary gust, sweeping what was left of the grass from his gray pants and white shirt. The worn sandals that he had taken off were quickly placed on his feet as Fiona waited without a word. They weren't needed at this distance anyway.

'…He's dying… isn't he?'

The thought reached out to her, streaming into her mind as if she had heard it with her own ears, and yet his mouth had never moved. 'Yeah… Dad's tests just came back. Overexposure to Kojima Particles is the cause. He…'

'I know.' The young man looked up, into her eyes. Burning red lengths hovered just about her hazel eyes, matching the Lynx's own as he stood up to see her face to face. A conversation like this needed a closer form of contact than just thoughts. Touch was needed, and he provided it.

She was a bit shocked when he leaned in for the hug, taking her soft shoulders into his arms, slowly bringing her close. 'I'm sorry, Fiona… I know how important your father is to you. If it had been me instead of Joshua in there, maybe…'

"No!" she almost yelled into his ear, forgetting that he didn't need her to speak. She remembered herself though, and whispered an apology. 'You know what the risk was. I tried to persuade Joshua out of it too, but he's almost as stubborn as you. It's nobody's fault…'

She hugged him back, a bit tighter than he had expected. They had been friends since they were children, going to the same school and now working at the same facility in the colony, but never anything more. The young man hadn't expected anything either, as Joshua was more her speed if he knew right. He didn't, but only Fiona knew that, and he was honorable enough to leave her secrets as just that; secrets.

"Fiona…" He spoke softly, not really trusting his words as he held her. She jerked a little when he spoke, as he normally remained silent. It wasn't because he disliked speaking, or wanted to seem distant, but because he was always unsure of himself with spoken words. "I'm here for you."

The sun was setting as they broke the embrace, beginning the long trek back to the colony. She was holding on to him, afraid that the slick grass might cause her to slip. He obliged her with a slight blush as she pulled herself close to him, making slow and careful steps as they moved down the hill. It was then that all hell broke loose in the colony. Sirens suddenly went on for no visible reason, causing the two to stop in place as their world was suddenly turned on its head. There was something huge moving around in Anatolia and it wasn't a construction MT. No, it was certainly a lot bigger, and moved a much faster than anything Fiona had ever seen. He, however, had seen in motion, but only in simulators…

"Oh my God… what is that?! Its… its heading right for us!" Indeed it was, flying on a massive burst of Quick Boost that sounded like a massive explosion as it echoed across the fields.

'Is that… !? No! That's Dr. Jarnefeldt's project! Fiona, we've got to get out of here!' He screamed his thoughts at her, but already it was too late. The machine hit the earth hard as it began moving along the ground, shaking the world it seemed as the two stumbled and fell. Dirt and rocks were thrown into the air as the machine pushed forward, raining the earth down upon itself. He put himself on top of her as best he could, shielding her from harm as the machine passed by. 'Just stay sti--!'

It was then that fate happened to deny a happy ending, for the moment. One of the stones thrown into the air by the machine's passing, picked by the hand of God perhaps, struck true against his skull. Death was instant and nearly painless for him, but for Fiona beneath him whose eyes were still tightly closed in horror, it was as if the boy above her had become a shadow. There was no life in his protective hold, no love. He was just there.

He was just there…

* * *

Part 2 – Revival

A man sat up in his hospital room. Dark hair and dark eyes, the latter of which were seemingly without life, accompanied his tanned and well toned body. He did not know where he was, nor who he was.

A blank slate.

But he could sense the people outside, and around the hospital. Perhaps even more if he tried, but he was numb from the medications, and still tired from the long coma he had been in for a year. Slowly, he moved from the bed, pulling his medications with him as the IV stand swayed and rolled toward him with every movement. The man found a clipboard at the end of his bed, detailing everything about his physical status.

"Asleep… for thirteen months… That's a long time." Slowly, he replaced the clipboard and moved to the window. It was a beautiful day outside, with a few scattered clouds dotting the sky as the sun shone down on a garden below him; everything was in bloom.

He hadn't even bothered to look at his name.


	2. Part 3

Part 3 – Purpose

She was careful with her words.

"The Colony has made its decision…" Fiona stated as she approached him. Her footsteps were careful, and considered well in advance. The man she was speaking with was a trained killer after all, and a Raven at that; one could never be too careful in this kind of situation. The window he stood at was gray at the moment, as rain clouds passed over the midday sky and blotted out its light. He stared out the window, only half paying attention to what she was saying. "Because you're the only Lynx left here, we wish to ask you to pilot our remaining NEXT..."

"…Why?" His voice was deep -deeper than she had expected after speaking with him mind to mind. As she had found out in her experiences with other Lynx, the self-voice and the body's voice were often quite different, but the difference here was extraordinary. His mind's voice was sweet and gentle, and kind to a point. The Raven's speaking voice was much harsher, and left no room for doubt when he made a decision. After a moment, she explained.

"My father, Professor Jarnefeldt, was one of the main reasons Anatolia even exists. Now that… now that he's gone, our income from research efforts with Rayleonard has ceased. We still have a single NEXT that hasn't been returned to the company, and Emil believes that Global Armaments is willing to buy its services in exchange for money and supplies. That's where you come in. I know, it's a lot to ask of you… but would you please consider it?"

He was quite for a few long moments, eyes closed in thought, weighing the outcomes of his actions. As he thought, she reflected on how she had found him in the ruins of her father's lab. Burnt and irradiated with Kojima Particles from Athera's activation, he was thought to be dead. She rescued him however, saving him from a slow death due to radiation poisoning and giving him another chance at life. Until he could clearly speak, they had thought to eachother and played games to pass the time. Idly, she wondered why she even bothered to care for him after he had awakened… 'Perhaps,' she thought, 'it's because a Lynx died to save me. Maybe that was how I started repaying the debt…'

She couldn't even think of his name without crying, even a year later after his death.

"Reflection." He said, not bothering to explain his outburst.

"…What do you…?"

"That's what your going to call me from now on. A Raven needs a name, after all." He nodded to himself, as if assuring himself that it was right.

Fiona nodded, a bit wary of his seemingly sudden decision. Until now, he hadn't responded to any name at all -not even his own. "…I see. Why choose a name now?"

"Because if I'm going to pilot a NEXT, I'm going to need a name." He turned from the window and looked her straight in the eyes. "I have one condition before I commit to piloting it however. You have to be my Operator. A Raven can't function without one."

She gasped at his request, a bit surprised that he would want her, a twenty year old girl with no combat knowledge or experience, to hold such a position. She knew of it from the tales told by the colony's retired Ravens –those who refused to continue fighting after the National Dismantlement War. The Operator was a tactical analysis officer, someone who would give the Raven information about what threats were coming from where, and how best to counteract them.

"You're the only person I want there." He said, turning back to the window. "Because you are the only person who can understand."

'…Understand what?' She thought, trying to figure out what to say in response.

'What it's like…' he thought to her, "…to lose someone dear to you."

She accepted.


	3. Part 4

Part 4 – Awakening

It was old.

That was the first thing that came to his mind upon seeing the NEXT he would be piloting. A company standard first produced in the era of the National Dismantlement War, the AALIYA brand of parts had been around for quite some time. That didn't mean that he couldn't use them though. They had been upgraded through the years, kept up with current specs for use in Dr. Jarnefeldt's research. With the tinkering Reflection had done on it in the past few weeks, it would work well enough. There were parts he wanted to use but the Colony couldn't afford them, not yet anyway. Time and successful missions would solve that problem.

"GA, the largest company on the block, is especially eager to see Gryphon rebuilt. We won't get another chance like this to impress them. The stage is set. The rest is up to you. Good luck."

"…Understood, Emil." Reflection cut the line. There was something about the man on the other end he didn't trust. The fact that he was a technician turned politician gave him severe doubts about his integrity… Perhaps that was it. Emil was a politician, and politicians lie, and were therefore untrustworthy. "Pilot, how far until Gryphon."

"We're almost to the drop location. A minute tops. It doesn't look like they have any long range weaponry, so I'll be able to drop you fairly close."

"Thank-you."

From the ground, it must have seemed as if a giant, bulging bird had appeared from nowhere. The Ark was a high-speed transport purchased on what little funds Anatolia had after purchasing the ammo for the NEXT. It was streamlined for fast travel, poorly armored, and huge. It made a good target in other words, but at least it got the NEXT where it needed to be on time. "Releasing your Craft now, Raven. Good luck."

The bay doors on the bottom of the transport opened. Already it was saturated with Kojima Particles from other ventures, giving it a strange, deadly glow as the AALIYA/L legs took a step forward into the air as the bay below it opened.

They fell, together.

"Now commencing mission." Fiona stated as he hit the ground, her voice calm and professional in the back of Reflections mind as he moved the 03-AALIYA toward its current enemies. "Normals are the enemy's primary force, so eliminate them as quickly as possible. Remember, you aren't cleared for Primal Armor use, so you'll take more damage from enemy fire."

"Roger, I'm moving to attack them now, Fiona."

While the direct route would have been faster, money was more a concern than time. He skirted around the first group of enemies on his radar, visually confirmed that it was only a group of tanks and MTs before closing in. All the enemy tanks saw before their crew departed from this word was the blazing barrel of the NEXT's left hand machinegun, a Rayleonard 01-HITMAN that came standard with the design. Tanks were split in half by a single bullet from its barrel as the MTs desperately tracking the infinitely faster machine as it skirted around their shotgun blasts and rocket fire. One such MT found the AALIYA's blade in its heart, slicing it in half and sending both parts to the ground in a blaze of fire. It wasn't the last to fall, either, as three more found the violet hued DRAGONSLAYER blade in their bodies before they could react.

"I've cleared the first section out, no sign of the enemy Normals; moving on to the next area."

"Understood. Mission time is looking good," Fiona said, a tinge of pride at the edge of her voice, "but try to watch your ammo."

He smiled, moving forward once more and into another firefight. A mass of helicopters had covered the central river of Gryphon, generating a lot of annoying but fragile targets that distracted his FCS from time to time as he dealt with the MTs around him. As he closed in on the last of the land based enemies, blade blazing as it prepared to take another life, a flash of blue caught his eye. It turned into a lightning fast streak of laser energy as it passed the AALIYA's face, slightly burning the tip of its head as Reflection put on the breaks. The blade swing still connected, though only enough to rip a hunk of metallic flesh from its foe and send it to the ground, disabled.

"Enemy Normal confirmed! You're targets across the river, take it out!"

Reflection smiled at her timing, a whisper from the other side telling him that she was always late with the important things as it chuckled. His voice betrayed none of it, however. "Understood. Moving to intercept."

The swarm of attack helicopters swayed as he approached, firing their under slung mini-guns in hopes of at least slowing the dark NEXT that had torn through the ground based defenses. It was a wasted effort, as Reflection simply ignored them. Dodging the laser volleys that came from the Normals on the other side of the shore was his concern, and it was getting harder with each shot. The closer he came, the more accurate their shots got. One managed to lance the stabilizer on the AALIYA's left shoulder, piercing the balancing weight and scarring the area around it with the beams intense heat.

"Hmph." Reflection smirked as another beam passed close to the NEXT as it finally landed on the other side of the shore after a short QB burst. Another burst put it right in the face of a Normal, which staggered back as the AALIYA primed its blade. Up close, Reflection could see that it was a GOPPER-G3, a Rosenthal model equipped with a shield and a laser rifle. Easy prey for the short range blade, which almost halved the machine in one swipe, while a burst of HITMAN fire finished the job. The second Gopper took to the air, its pilot trying to avoid the same deadly fate that his or her companion had met by firing while retreating, sapping the Normals energy reserves faster than it should have. It fell hard as its lackluster generator ran out of energy, stunning itself in place as the machine tried to regain its stability.

A shot from the SULTAN plasma cannon was enough to tear the machine's rifle arm off, leaving it weaponless. A second shot finished it.

"All enemy Normals destroyed. GA says they will handle the rest, so the mission is accomplished. Come on home, Reflection."

He nodded, shutting down the NEXT's various systems and shunting all the power into it's boosters for sustained flight. As the old model AALIYA leapt into the air, headed for the nearest GA controlled airfield, Reflection let out a sigh. "…Fiona…"

"Yes, Reflection?"

"Is it right … to kill like this…?"

"Wha…?" The question was shocking to say the least. A Raven, no, a killing machine had just asked her if killing what right. "I… I… don't really know…"

There was a haunting quiet the entire way home, the humming of the boosters barely audible within the cockpit.

All the while, the whispers continued.


	4. Part 5

Part 5 – Apparitions

'Why would he ask me something like that…?'

It had been several weeks since Reflection's first mission, and still that question swirled around in her head. Several more missions had come and gone taking her, the Ark, Reflection and the NEXT across the globe. Terrorist factions had been making more and more moves in recent times, especially the Maggrib Liberation Front based in White Africa, giving Anatolia dozens of opportunities to show off their powerful NEXT. In all that time, Reflection had never once said another word about killing, or if it was justified. In fact, he had hardly said a word beyond having the NEXT technicians order a few new stabilizers from Rayleonard and a Back Booster part from Rosenthal. All of his free time at Anatolia was spent outside, among the people. He helped in any way he could, but everything he did seemed to have no spirit in it, no dedication. It unnerved many of the colonists, who in their whispered conversations wondered if he was simply a machine in human guise. The more she thought about it, the more she agreed. Reflection didn't seem human, not anymore.

"Fiona, are you alright?"

She sat up in her chair, blinking her thoughts away and once again focusing on the matter at hand. "Y-yes, Emil, I'm fine."

He sighed. While he wasn't that old, Emil was wise beyond his years. The thirty-two year old politician sat behind his desk with an air of humility about him, as if he had merely accepted the job of running Anatolia by popular demand instead of snatching it from the hands of its governing council. His head of dark brown hair was already receding, giving him a rather large forehead which made his sunken in eyes all the more apparent. Sky blue eyes looked over Fiona as she adjusted herself, her normally finely brushed hair falling over her face in streamers of red. She was twenty now, her birthday just two months ago, and her body was that of a full grown woman. Indeed, she was beautiful, though a bit of a mess at the moment. Had he not known that she had no interest in older gentleman, Emil would have been sorely tempted to approach her. "You've been a bit out of it recently. I know that these assignments with the Lynx are straining you quite badly… are you sure you don't want someone to take your place for--?"

She cut him off, not wanting to even hear of it. "No. Thank you for your concern, Emil, but I'll be fine."

"If you say so…" He smiled politely, turning his attention to Global Armament's latest request. "It appears that GA has located the MLF's next target. It appears to be an oil refinery in White Africa and the MFL's NEXT, Barbaroi, is supposedly handling the assault on his own. Informants have given us the position of his escape route, and I believe that with the element of surprise on his side, our man can handle it."

"So they want us to kill Amazigh?" She frowned at the idea, shaking her head slightly. "Even with surprise on our side, that won't be an easy task. There hasn't been any combat between Lynx outside of testing in the companies, and Reflection hasn't had any experience in fighting NEXTs beyond the single Eqbal simulation we received from Rayleonard –which is sorely out of date, I might add. I'd recommend against accepting it, Emil."

"Unfortunately, that isn't an option, Fiona. GA and Rosenthal have been handing us little assignments up until now. This is our big chance to prove our worth, and secure Anatolia's survival for the time being. Already, repairs for the Armored Core and new parts have cost us a fortune. We need more money for food, Fiona, and to get it we must accept more dangerous missions …or, would you rather have the entire Colony starve than risk a single man's life?"

It glowed slightly. Everything saturated with Kojima Particles did, to some extent, and the external armor of the NEXT was no exception. Reflection, decked out in Hazmat gear to avoid contamination, watched as a wing-like back stabilizer was slowly lowered into position and carefully connected to the machine. With it in place, the AALIYA model would have a better thrust to weight ratio for forward boosting. Though it hadn't arrived yet, the AB-HOLOFERNS that was to replace the machines powerful but energy hungry 03-AALIYA/S Side Boosters would relieve some of the machines ever present energy consumption problems. Adding a the powerful new S01-V3 Overboost model would increase the machine's mobility as well, though cash for it was still not available, something that he brooded over constantly. If he was supposed to earn money by completing missions, how did they expect him to do so if the right equipment was not available?

As the stabilizer was finally secured, a technician turned to him as the clamor of the hanger quieted. "Sir," he half yelled, "all the part replacements have been completed. She's ready to move out whenever you are."

"Good." Reflection replied, never taking his eyes off the machine below him. "Get some sleep, then. My next mission will be starting shortly and you will need all the rest you can get."

The tech laughed and nodded before taking his leave, heading for decontamination to get out of his Hazmat suit. Reflection lingered for a moment, watching the clouds of Kojima Particles that haunted this place drift and scatter on the man made winds, like ghosts in the dark night…

And the whisper persisted, its singular voice speaking to him, always.


	5. Part 6

Part 6 – Wolf and Raven

The desert was painted with blood.

In fact, the day was near death; the last of it's light pouring out over the sands. Only God knew who killed that day, or the names of those lost in the fires that dotted the horizon, and yet it wasn't over yet. Among a ruined city filled with sand, a killer waited.

"…It's moving along the ground route we were informed about. ETA is in three minutes. Are you ready?"

"Yes. I'm in place along the road now." Sitting half behind the husk of a building, the AALIYA waited as its pilot relaxed. His eyes were half closed as he watched the radar and only half his attention was on that and Fiona's voice. The whisper was becoming more insistent with each passing minute…

"…Good…" Fiona, safely aboard the Ark at a GA airport some hundred miles away, wiped the sweat from her forehead. Even with the cooling systems working overtime, the plane was still hot from sitting in the sun all day. As if to show that they didn't matter all that much, or perhaps to reinforce that notion, the base commander had refused to let them into the bases facilities. Perhaps he expected them to be leaving in failure… "Reflection, I've… I've been thinking about what you asked me on your first mission in Gryphon."

The whispers stopped. "Oh?"

"Yes. I can't say for sure, but…" Again she became. It was hard for her to explain it in her head, let alone speaking it. "I mean, it's not right to kill …but in our circumstances it might be justified... after all, thousands of people will die if we don't kill these people. …I'm sorry. We're putting all of this on you… and…"

He nodded. "Thank-you, Fiona."

"F-for what?"

"For being honest." He answered. "We appreciate that."

"…Wait…" Her face contorted in confusion. Just what was he talking about when he said 'we'? It would have to wait though. "Target sighted -currently en route via ground carrier vehicle. Don't get ahead of yourself; let it come to you, then attack."

"Roger." He opened his eyes, hands at the ready as the transport approached. It would be in range sooner than he'd thought, but that was easy to adjust for… Quickly, the AALIYA's SULTAN Plasma Cannon folded over its right shoulder, taking aim for the rapidly closing transport…

Fiona watched the enemy NEXT's signature carefully. So far there hadn't been any signs of changes, but in an instant that changed. Kojima Particles were beginning to swirl around the Armored Core. It wouldn't be long… "Barbaroi has begun activation! Fire now!"

A burst of teal colored plasma found its mark on Barbaroi's armor, burning away a good deal of it's still unprotected frame as it passed against it's left shoulder. Worse for the Desert Wolf, the superheated particle beam destroyed Barbaroi's scatter missile pod, a third of its armament. A second shot found the machine's right leg, melting away its knee armor as the plasma ate at its vitals.

"Cowards…" An enraged Amazigh whispered within his own cockpit as he desperately tried to activate his machine. He was handsome, tall, strong, black and proud of it. After the wars of Ethnic Cleansing, only the lands to the south welcomed his people, while the northern land, 'White Africa', controlled them as slaves so GA and the other companies could live off their labor. He alone had stood up to fight when the time came, taking a NEXT for his own from an Eqbal transport and returning to his people in triumph. Now, alone in the desert with only his Armored Core, it would all end. "What do you have to protect, Corporate dog!? Mmm?! The unrighteous shall be made to pay!"

"…Corporate…?" Reflection shook his head, allowing the Plasma Cannon to fold back as he rushed forward, preparing for a blade strike to finish the job. It didn't connect however, as Amazigh finally activated his NEXT and fired off both his Assault Rifle and Shotgun. Both weapons pierced the AALIYA's thick Primal Armor, tearing into its far soft armor in small, rabid bites. It wouldn't be enough however, not in the condition that Barbaroi was in now. "I fight so that those we care about can live to see another day… Those are who I protect."

"Barbaroi is now active!" Fiona said, a trace of worry in her voice as the Desert Wolf took to the sky. "You've done plenty of damage though, now finish it off."

"Roger Fiona. I won't fail." Reflection grimaced as yet another burst of shotgun fire peppered his PA and armor, his AALIYA returning fire with it's machinegun as he raced behind cover for a quick recharge.

"A Raven…?" A bit of surprised crept into Amazigh's voice as he too took cover for a split second. His AZAN rifle ejected its spent clip, the Armored Core automatically swinging it back to receive another. "I see… Ravens are not to be underestimated."

Barbaroi leapt out of hiding with both guns blazing, liberally spraying the area where Reflection was hole up and decimating the condemned building. Chunks of cement and steel rained down on his NEXT as the whole thing came down behind him, revealing his back to the enemy as it fell. A QB turn brought him around as the SULTAN folded over once more, HITMAN firing as a second QB send the AALIYA out of harms way.

"A logical move… he's good." Amazigh smirked, enjoying it as Reflection felt the impact of his weapons once more. His pride, unlike his machine, was still unharmed. "Still, I will be the one to finish this!"

Reflection didn't answer, and instead, he focused on his goal. More machine gun rounds sprayed against Barbaroi as it danced, plasma rounds tracing through the air as it boosted to the left and right while firing down upon its foe. Sparks flew from the airborne machine as it moved though, specifically from its right leg, which took another hit from the SULTAN when Amazigh mistimed his Quick Boost. As Barbaroi landed again after another hail of bullets, its right leg buckled slightly as it hit the ground, sparking spraying from it like a firecracker as it bent. Reflection saw his chance then, and the Raven took it as the red NEXT staggered. A bolt of plasma struck its SALAF head, tearing away most of the lightly armored head as dozens of rounds from the HITMAN tore away at its Primal Armor. Try as he might, Amazigh couldn't get the machine to move in time to avoid the follow-up shot that completely pierced Barbaroi's weakened PA. The plasma tore through its lower chest, cleaving a hole in it and silencing the NEXT.

"So this is the end…"

It dawned on him then, as the monitors went dark and the life of his machine faded in a hail of sparks. There, in the darkness, he knew.

"Or are you…?" …and the light took him.

"Barbaroi has gone silent…" Relief flooded through her as Barbaroi's signature disappeared. "The mission was a success. Good work… now come on home, Reflection."

"…Understood…" A second whisper, a new voice, echoing in the back of his mind… The AALIYA frame shimmered in the fading light as the day ended.

Upon the rooftop of a forgotten building, a Raven called out. Black feathers fell from the sky…


	6. Part 7

Part 7 – Agony and Vengeance

Reflection had been unconscious for the better part of six days. Only twice had he awoken, each time as if in a fleeting dream. The first time, he spoke in a language that no one in the hospital understood. Later, after a little digging, it would become apparent that he was asking for a loved one in a nearly forgotten language spoken only in Southern Africa –Amazigh's homeland. The doctors that looked after him searched wildly for a cause, but none could be found. Later, in a single telepathic burst, he called out for Fiona. Everyone within the hospital heard it, like a scream of pain and sorrow. It sent shivers down the spine of everyone within range…

Finally, of the seventh day, he awakened. There were no answers that the doctors could find, no reason to keep him, and so he went back to work. He struck at Several BFF Spec-Ops ships in what used to be Shangahi, tearing them apart with ease, only to afterward escort an Icebreaker through troubled waters as submarines launched volley after volley of vertical launch missiles at both boat and Armored Core.

And all the while, Emil smiled, calling it a golden opportunity. They, meaning Reflection alone in all reality, had proven themselves to GA and Rosenthal, and subsequently Omer Science. Rayleonard too was taking notice of Anatolia, though they only sent parts for the NEXT instead of missions.

It was a sunny day, several weeks after his defense of the BFF Icebreaker, when Reflection was sitting beneath the angel statue outside of the hospital and research center. Beyond the hospital, over the hills and out of sight, was "The Cave" as many of Anatolia's residents had come to call it. The name fit, as it was little more than a hole in the ground meant to hide the hanger which held both the Ark and NEXT. He stared in that direction, as if his vision could burn through everything in between and reveal his machine to him.

"…Hello Fiona." She smiled at his welcome, sitting down on a bench opposing his own. Recently, he had been more talkative than he had been; he smiled more as well, and acted more human in general. Perhaps time in the cockpit of the NEXT had revived more of the man he once was, or perhaps the change was triggered by Fiona finally answering his question… Either way, she was glad for the difference in him.

"Hello." She smiled as she spoke, trying to be as friendly as possible. "How are you feeling today?"

"Good. My head doesn't hurt as much." He smirked a bit at the statement. "Any news from Ops?"

"Always straight to business with you, isn't it?" She laughed slightly, smile growing a bit wider as he smiled back in full. "Well, it turns out that Rayleonard won't be sending the new Overboost part you wanted for a little while. Apparently a terrorist faction in North America seized the transport it was on, which was shot down later."

"Too bad. I was really hoping to get it in, too." His smile disappeared for a moment, but soon enough it was a smile again. "I'm not worried though. My AC is fine as it is, for the moment."

"If you say so, Reflection. I know there's a lot more you want to do with it, and I'm sorry we don't have the credits to do it… It would make your job much easier if we could afford heavier weapons…" Her smile dimmed a bit at this. She forced it back up though with a practiced force of will, not allowing her thoughts to stray to the truth. They had plenty of money now, more than even she knew probably, but Emil was holding it all, and wasn't letting any of it go unless it was completely necessary. While it was a smart move in case of emergencies, it really did complicate matters… the fact he was keeping the money secret bothered her though.

"The weapons I have now are serving their duty fine. There hasn't been much cause for concern recently, since the corporations have yet to use me as a hunter-killer again. I doubt they will, seeing how they prefer to han…" The Raven stopped speaking, turning his head toward the hills as he sensed something, eyes squinting at the horizon to try and find something in the distance. "…I'm heading to the garage. I'd advise you to get to a safe place, but I know you're going to go to the command center anyway, so I won't."

The sudden change shocked her a bit as he stood, breaking out into a full sprint for the Gear Tunnel entrance within the research facility nearby. She got to her feet, completely confused as to what was going on and a bit bewildered by his actions. "Wait, what's going…?"

'Dozens of people are coming toward Anatolia. I sensed that they have ill intent, but that's about all I got. You'd better hurry.'

* * *

The boarding tube –another requirement to avoid contamination– was already connecting to the AALIYA when he reached the Cave, Fiona having sent word ahead to have it ready. Reflection smiled, impressed by her foresight and speed, as the ride through the Gear Tunnel was only a minute or two at the most. The engineers and technicians that normally surrounded the massive weapon were huddled together in the control room, performing last minutes checks of the NEXT before its launch. Reflection was already halfway down the boarding tube when the loudspeakers crackled to life, filling it with Fiona's voice.

"We've confirmed an unidentified squad approaching Anatolia! There aren't many, but they're almost here, Reflection. You have to intercept them, please hurry!"

"Got it." He smirked slightly as he slid into the cockpit, the machine sealing behind him as the tube pulled back. The NEXT powered up as the garage around it shifted, several catwalks moving out of the way as the gates to the outside world opened. A single flare of Quick Boost sent the AALIYA into the daylight, and another turned it around to face the hill that separated it from Anatolia.

"No… They're too close! We can't avoid fighting in inhabited areas!"

"That close already, huh?" He frowned as the AALIYA took to the sky, racing over the hill and into Anatolia proper. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the Angel as he passed, his frown twitching up into a smile for a second as he passed.

"You can't engage your Primal Armor, so make evasion your top priority. Try to stay safe out there…" There was a lot of worry in her voice as he landed at the gates of Anatolia. The enemy was very close -close enough for him to see without visual aid.

"This is going to be tricky…" He muttered as he Quick Boosted to the side, taking a round about route to the enemies so their volleys of fire wouldn't damage Anatolia during the fighting. Several dozen old style MTs were waiting for him in the first wave, and they loosed a swarm of missiles in a desperate attempt to catch the NEXT with its guard down. Reflection guided his machine into the air as the missiles approached, letting the swarm slide beneath his machine and into the hills as he began unloading HITMAN rounds into the crowd. Several of them crumpled into smoking heaps from the initial volley, and two more found plasma rounds purging their cockpits and everything behind. "…But where are their Normals? My brothers wouldn't come so unprepared… ah, there they are."

Two ZENGAME heavy tank Normals were rolling toward him, twin grenade launcher arms at the ready. They fired together, but Reflection was prepared for it and dashed to the side before they could impact the AALIYA's frame. As much as he wanted to stay away from such a threat, his HITMAN wouldn't do the damage necessary to disable them, and the plasma cannon would drain far too much energy for him to avoid their attacks.

"Blade it is…" The NEXT burst forward, rapidly closing the gap and drawing its arm back for its strike. The violet hued blade carved through the heavy armor easily, ripping one of the ZENGAME's arms off and ruining it's treads in the process. The second tank turned, firing as Reflection boosted away from the kill. One grenade hit the tank's remains, utterly obliterating it in a swirl of fire and shrapnel. The second hit the AALIYA's right leg, bursting into flames against the hardened metal and sending dozens of warnings to the cockpit. "Leg damaged… This isn't going to help."

"Be careful! It isn't wise to go head on against heavy type machines without Primal Armor active!" He ignored her warning and charged in as the ZENGAME reloaded, DRAGONSLAYER taking its head and most of the upper body off in a single swipe. It exploded violently, shaking Reflection as he moved away. The right leg of his machine sparked as it moved, sending thousands of tiny lights to the earth as he forced it forward. Another grouping of MTs were easy prey for him, as their missiles were poorly aimed and his blade swipes connected with ease. "…Alright, enemy presence is down. We're almost there, but stay sharp."

"Right. Two MTs on the ridge with missile trucks for support, speaking of which…" A huge swarm was descending on him like a cloud of locusts. Try as he might, there wasn't much he could do to avoid all of them. The HITMAN chattered away in the AALIYA's right arm, causing several of the missiles to commit fratricide as they exploded. Thinning the swarm eased the damage, but in the end there were a lot more dents in the frame than Reflection would have liked. The next volley was much less of a problem, as it was farther away when he noticed it and much easier to avoid. The third never came as Reflection filled the trucks with machinegun rounds, the missile batteries exploding as they were struck. The Normals, a pair of Eqbal SELJOs, were quick to respond with shotgun fire that peppered the AALIYA's armor. A shot of plasma and several Bursts of HITMAN removed them from the fight however; both machines little more than flaming meteors that shook the Earth as they touched down.

"Enemy signatures have disappeared." Fiona said, pausing for a bit as she looked out the window. There didn't seem to be any damage to the colony at all… "Anatolia is still standing, mission accomplished. Why Anatolia thought? Just who are they…?"

"I don't know." Reflection replied, lying. One of the voices, the one who spoke two tongues and had memories of the desert, knew exactly who they had been, and felt a pang of remorse as the NEXT was guided back toward Anatolia…


	7. Part 8

Part 8 – Cries of the Damned

Months had passed since the MLFs attack on Anatolia, and what little damage had been done by the strike had been completely healed. Missions had come and gone, and more Lynx had fallen by Reflection's hand; Sahdana, the so-called wizard of Eqbal, and Sherring of Aldra were the two most cared about. Sus, the only other Lynx under the MLF's control, had also fallen to him –however the battle had been mere child's play, and therefore few paid attention to it. Due to Reflection's actions during the purge of GAE's Hejda Arsenal in Europe, Akvavit lashed out at several of GA's facilities to supposedly repay the favor. The two subsidiaries had been working together for some time on massive weapons, but when GAE decided to separate from it's parent company, things when sour all too quickly. With GAE out of the picture, and the Research and Development files in Akvavit's hands, GA quickly found itself on the losing end of the bargain and launched attacks on Akvavit, the massive GA Corporation easily standing above the smaller splinter corporation in terms of raw firepower and supplies. Not wanting to see its investments in Akvavit come to naught, the powerful Rayleonard group joined the fight, and soon open warfare had spread between each of the massive companies. The peace created by the Pax was gone, as if it had just been a dream. Now the true nightmare had begun, and not just for the Companies…

"Levanteer… Rayleonard's new underground research facility based in lower North America." His eyes scanned over what little intelligence Rosenthal and GA had been able to collect about the energy company's facilities. In actuality, it wasn't all that large, but at the same time it was a deathtrap. Several long hallways would provide whatever defenses Rayleonard had in place with ample opportunity to burn his NEXT's armor away. Between those hallways and the supposed new breed of NEXT he would be facing, Reflection was in for quite a fight. The desert sands swirled around his AALIYA, scratching at the joints as it walked forward and into the gaping hole in the front door. Apparently Unite Mons had gone in with guns blazing, as his profile from GA said he probably would. Seeing as his compatibility with the NEXT's AMS control system was horribly low, that really couldn't be helped. It was probably how he had survived this long in the first place.

"The underground lab is just ahead. Destroy the new NEXTs under development there." Fiona sipped her coffee, trying to keep herself alert in case the situation changed. Currently there was no sign of enemies in the facility, probably due to Tyrant's handiwork, but there was too much Kojima radiation in the lower levels to get a clear reading on what was waiting down there. "And be careful, alright?"

"Roger." The NEXT stopped as it spotted the sparking hulk of Tyrant near a closed shutter. His eyes drifted over it, immediately spotting the huge gaps in its armor. He could only guess about what kind of weapon could deal that much damage, but if the patters were right, it had to be some kind of laser blade… "AC Tyrant identified. No signs of life. Could you see if GA wants to send in a recovery team?"

"I'll get right on it…"

He nodded, moving forward and causing the automated shutter to rise. Reflection was careful as he moved through it, ready for whatever had made such a mess of Tyrant to come at him head on as he passed through the door. There was no sign of it however, but he knew something wasn't right… as did the whispers. He understood who they were, now that they had been around for a while. What he didn't know was _why_ they had entered his mind… Regardless of the circumstances, their advice had helped him in the past, and had more than once saved his life in the field.

All at once, a shrill scream echoed inside his mind. The shutter slammed down behind him, locking in place. He held his head for a moment, asking the voices aloud, "What is this?!"

"What…" Instantly, Fiona dropped the line to GA and switched back to Reflection's line. "What's happening, Reflection? What's going on?"

He grunted as the scream subsided, still shaken by the sheer amount of emotion it held, and the strain it put on his mind. Just once was enough to put him on edge. "Interference, from whatever is down there. Is the image capture system working? Because I have a feeling GA will want to see whatever these things are…"

"Things? But our data says--"

"The data's wrong. I heard three, in my head." Grimacing, Reflection pushed the AALIYA forward. A slanted shaft leading down into the facility was his only path now and he followed it, gliding down the tunnel as the blue-green lights gave the entire area a sickly glow. It wasn't unlike the Cave in some ways…

"Reflection, the radiation's clearing up slowly. There's an enemy Guard Battalion in position at the bottom of that shaft. Break through them!"

As he reached the bottom, several armored personnel opened fire with miniature rail guns. It was a useless effort, as the HITMAN easily tore through their combat armor. More were waiting in an adjoining corridor, pelting the NEXT as best they could as he mowed them down. Two laser bolts caressed the NEXT's upper body as he moved further down, the rifles being handled by two GOPPERs. Realizing that losing too much AP here would only weaken him later on, Reflection kicked on the AALIYA's Over Boost function, sending him rocketing toward the Normals. By the time their rifles were ready to fire he was upon the closest of them, tearing it apart in a single DRAGONSLAYER slash as the other panicked and began backpedaling. A Quick Boost to the side saved the AALIYA from another burst of laser fire, and a second rammed it's blade into the Normal's chest. It fell to the ground, spouting fire from the mortal wound as Reflection turned. He'd come this far… and only one path remained. The entire hallway only had two exits; one to the surface, and one into the belly of the beast.

"Enemy signatures confirmed ahead!" Fiona was nearly shouting now, a bit frantic as Reflection's prophecy came true. There were 3 NEXTs. And to make matters worse… "New-type NEXTs? They're active?! Be careful!"

Another scream rang out, but this time Reflection was prepared. He blocked it out, mentally putting up barriers against its haunting sound as the AALIYA shot forward. The three machines screamed in unison, each trying to tear at his mind, consume him … and he attacked with a fury that could not be matched. Not by them, not by anyone.

_The world blurred as he moved…_

…_swing of the blade almost connected, shaving his PA…_

…_bolt of plasma, searing the metal flesh…_

…_reckless abandon. He screamed in rage, firing again and again…_

…_exploded as it crashed, leaving only two. Fiona shouted, but he couldn't hear…_

…_too little time, and not enough energy. It connected…_

…_fire in his mind, in his body, consuming him…_

…_dropped it, putting everything he had into one last charge…_

…

When all was said and done, the AALIYA stood alone. Panting, Reflection slumped in the cockpit. The battle had taken a lot out of him, and his NEXT as well. The entire right arm had been severed by one of the New-types in it's last ditch effort to slay him, and he was lucky to have gotten away with just that considering the size and power of its blade. The SULTAN had been dropped, its ammunition exhausted during the battle, and the HITMAN was dangerously low as well. It had taken almost everything for him just to survive…

"All enemy craft destroyed. You pulled it off, mission accomplished." Fiona, still in the Ark, breathed a great sigh of relief and slid back into her chair. She'd been on edge the entire time, watching the battle through the AALIYA's eyes as Reflection fought off his foes. Her heart had almost stopped every time one of the New-type NEXTs closed in, only to disappear from the screen as Reflection pulled away at the last moment. "Good job. Please head back, we'll be waiting for you…"

He didn't answer, but instead continued to breath. The screams were gone, and his mind was at peace for the moment. No more whispers had joined him however, which might have been a blessing after witnessing the pain the NEXTs caused. Slowly, he began guiding the AALIYA back toward the surface, barely allowing himself to connect with the machine after the strain he'd put himself through to survive.

Fiona smiled as she saw him moving toward the exit. By then, GA's recovery team was already at Levanteer. They would help him get back safely, at the very least. Something was bothering her however, poking at the back of her mind as she saved the images of the battle and prepared to send them off to GA's headquarters. When it came to her, she immediately got into contact with Reflection again. He was almost to the surface by that time, and still fairly conscious.

"Hey, listen… I remember seeing something that looked like that NEXT in my father's documents. The Prototype Next…" She shook her head as she vividly remembered the machine. It was the reason why the area surrounding the Cave was off limits to anyone without protective gear. "It's an evil machine that kills its pilot with psychic stress beyond human tolerances, while lethally contaminating the surrounding environment. It's beyond man's control…. Its development was aborted and everything destroyed. Would someone really try to dig that skeleton back up?"

He took in the information, mulling it over as the whispers debated. The answer was a resounding 'yes', but for now… "Perhaps. The question is; who would do such a thing?"

"I… don't really know." His words got her thinking. There were only a few people who even knew about the original design for the NEXT, and how it had been toned down to its modern form. None of the people on that list were really in any position to do anything with it, with one exception. Someone who now resided in a seat of power. '…Emil… would you really do something like this?'


	8. Part 9

Part 9 – Injustice

Reflection sighed; the AALIYA was nearly totaled, in his opinion, and Rayleonard was refusing to sell them parts after their loss of Levanteer. With the right arm ruined, along with its DRAGONSLAYER, it was hardly combat worthy. True, it still had its other two weapons, but the loss of an arm completely threw the machine off balance. Even if he filled up every slot possible with extra stabilizers, the machine would still lean heavily to the left. At this point, to go out into combat would be nearly suicide.

He reclined in one of the hard metal chairs inside the observation room, looking down at the machine from its right side. He could see where the technicians had already begun repairing the Core unit and legs, patching its armor as best they could. Without replacement armor plating, the damage done would merely be covered with slabs of steel. There was nothing else that could be done. He'd spent hours inside the machine, getting everything else in working order –the proof was in the stains on his work jeans and olive drab shirt- but one man couldn't make and replace an entire arm by himself. "Seems like we've hit some hard times, huh…?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say so. I have good news, Mr. Reflection." Emil strolled into the observation room, wearing a dark suit with a red tie that seemed rather out of place for the garage. "GA has sent us a little thank-you gift for our services. Apparently all the closed shutters you saw held parts to both the New-type NEXTs you fought along with several different sets of parts. Since GA already has enough Kojima tech supplied by Omer Science and Rosenthal, they thought it would be nice if we got some replacement parts for the NEXT instead."

"Just pray there's a spare arm in that shipment, Emil," Reflection said with a smirk, "otherwise I'm not taking it anywhere."

The older man nodded, shaking his head and grinning. "Of course. It would be foolhardy of us to go out without a fully equipped machine."

'It was foolhardy of us to go up against prototype NEXTs with an outdated machine, old man…' Standing, Reflection turned to face Emil. His frowned at him, eyes focused on the man himself. "…You sold them the plans, didn't you."

"…What? I don't know what--"

"Don't play dumb." Reflection cut him off, venom seeping into his voice as he spoke. "You are the only one with access to the Corporate Communications Network in Anatolia. Also, I know for a fact that you were working on the original NEXT project with Doctor Jarnefeldt. If anybody had the information on how to unlock the AMS level cut off system and the capability to send it to a willing buyer, it would be you. That's how Anatolia survived without Doctor Jarnefeldt while I was unconscious. You sold that information, and in turn Rayleonard gave the colony money to buy food and made you the leader of Anatolia by sweeping out the old leaders in secret."

He lashed out, grabbing Emil by his suit's collar and pulling him close. "It's your fault that I almost died. Your fault that Fiona is trapped seeing me fight. Your fault that people suffered inside those damn machines! I heard their screams, damn it! Do you know what it's like to have somebody die, and you see every last thought they have?! Do you?!"

Emil was quite pale when Reflection finished. He backed off, slowly, and the Lynx didn't stop him. "…My… my actions also sustained the colony until you were ready to fight."

"…Regardless, you disgust me. And quit looking at Fiona like a perverted old man every time she leaves your office." Reflection shook his head, shoving Emil aside and walking out of the room. He paused after he passed through the open door, glancing to the side as Fiona waited. She looked a bit shaken, but she smiled at him and mouthed a silent "Thank-you". He nodded and smiled back, then grabbed her hand suddenly and began leading her away. She tried to protest, but he wouldn't hear of it until they reached the Gear Tunnel. By then she was huffing and sweating from the pace he'd set, and was relieved when he handed her a bottle of water.

"You know, you could have just asked me if you wanted to talk…" She took a sip of the water, being careful not to gulp it even though she felt like drinking it all right away.

"No," he said, smiling as they sat down near the rail way, "this had to be private. He'll be looking for you, if he knows you were close enough to hear all that. This way he might not. I have no doubt that he would take you out in an instant if he thought you were a threat to him. Politicians are always like that."

"I… I guess your right." She looked a little nervous after his statement, but doubted it was entirely true. Emil didn't seem like the kind of person who would kill when it came to a power struggle. Besides, who would take his position? Certainly not her.

"But there was another reason I wanted to talk to you." His smile dropped a bit, getting more serious. "I know this might bring up a painful memory for you… but do you remember Jacob?"

She dropped the water bottle, looking at him with wide eyes full of fear and surprise. "W-what…? Why do you…?!"

"He had the special psychic trait, just like myself and Mido Auriel of Omer Science. I think that's why he came to me, that day."

"I-I see…" she stammered, picking up the water bottle and taking a large gulp. "But why bring that up now? He's been… been gone for a while now." She faked a laugh as best she could, trying to play if off, but it was obvious that this was hard for her. Tears were beginning to build up at the bottom rim of her eyes.

"I… This is going to be hard for you to hear. Should I wait?" He pulled out a clean piece of cloth from his pocket. He always carried several of them when he was working on the NEXT, making sure his hands were clean after the work was done. She accepted it, clutching it in her hand as she wiped away the first tear that spilled over.

"No…" she nodded resolutely, "whatever you have to say, I don't care. If it's about him, I wanna know."

"…I see." He smiled, a hint of worry in his eyes. "Perhaps it would be easier if you heard them too… I've been holding back all this time, trying to never speak to people in the same way that he did with you. I was afraid that they might speak as well… but now, I'll let down that wall."

It was suddenly as if several people had entered the room. She felt them, sitting around them like ghosts, almost tangible as their thoughts swirled around her.

"Who…?! What is this?"

"We are the remnants of the Lynx who died fighting this man. That's the simplest way to describe it." The voice was deep, yet kind. "You may not know me personally, Miss Jarnefeldt, but my name is Sherring."

"S-Sherring? You're--"

"Dead. Yes, I figured you'd say that to one of us." Another of the ghosts spoke. She could almost make out the features of his body, but the man's shape was never completely in focus. His accent was Eastern, probably from lower Asia but around the Middle East as well. "I am Sahdana, of Eqbal. A pleasure to finally speak with you."

They took their turns, introducing themselves to a shocked and frightened Fiona. She was crying the entire time, her attention centered on the dead Lynx before her. How could they exist like this? It wasn't possible, and yet…

"…Fiona…" Reflection gently brought her face back around, looking straight into her eyes. "…I've lived with this since the first day I woke up. I've been trapped in this body. Locked in with the others. I'm sorry I didn't speak about it sooner, but I've missed you."

"…Wha… Who are…" It hit her like a brick wall, and she froze, just staring at him as he continued.

"The real man who lived in this body is somewhat like a zombie, unable to think and speak for himself after the explosion Aretha unleashed. I… I started directing him after I figured out what had happened. Somehow, with two of us there that could speak to the other's mind, we were able to survive together in his body. The strain… almost killed him. I tried to do what I could to keep him here, sane, and alive, but it didn't work… He's slowly coming back, but different than what he was. I guess… it's a rebirth for all of us." He shrugged, smiling a bit and reaching out to wipe her tears.

She could tell. By the way he moved, the way he spoke. It was him. He was controlling Reflection now. She grabbed his hand when it touched her face, and she held it there. It was a bit sweaty, and it smelled of oil, but inside, she could feel him…

"Jacob…" She pulled close to him, hugging the Lynx before her with all her might. It was him, alive inside another man, but she accepted it. There was something there that she could instantly recognize within herself and him. Something she couldn't deny or explain.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" He hugged her, clenching his jaw to try and keep back his own tears.

The others watched, silent and respectful for the most part. Amazigh sniggered once or twice, remembering a similar position he once held a woman in back when he was young and alive. It had been far more intimate physically speaking, but those two didn't need that just yet. Sus merely shook his head at this comrade, smiling but holding in his own mirth. The man who normally held Reflection's body captive, the man who had almost died in the fires of Aretha's rage, just watched from afar. It wasn't him being held close, but he still felt it, and didn't mind in the least.

To anyone else, it would have seemed as if two lovebirds were sharing an intimate moment. Fiona's muffles sobs and the ruffling sound of her clothing as Jacob rubbed her shoulders was the only noise to be found within the empty gear tunnel...


	9. Part 10

Part 10 – Turbulent Seas 

The NEXT was in working order once more. Not only had GA sent a spare arm, but several other important parts that the AALIYA needed to connect it. What was more, they supplied a cache of weapons to be equipped to it as well; a new DRAGONSLAYER, a MARVE assault rifle, and as an added bonus one of Arisawa Heavy Industries OGOTO grenade launcher. In all reality, Reflection had no idea what he was going to do with the latter, but the MARVE rifle would do well in larger areas where the DRAGONSLAYER was a liability for it's short range. Currently the MARVE was attached to the right arm, with several red caution banners being removed by the technical staff to make it fully functional.

"She's looking good again, Reflection. Just in time for you to go get her beat up by those BFF idiots."

He nodded, grinning slightly at the technician's joke. The two were in full hazmat gear, checking over the newly added FRS expansion chips in the back of the NEXT's head unit. The armor for that particular section was overhead, casing a huge shadow over them. The Ready Bay, an offshoot of the Gear Tunnel where most repairs and equipment changes were made, was bustling with workers as an air of excitement filled the air as everyone made sure their particular task was complete. "True, to an extent. The Primal Armor should block everything but high velocity rounds and explosives. From what Intel we have, the White Lance has no NEXTs within its convoy fleet, so it should be an easy assignment if I move quickly."

"Heh, so she won't come back with any scratches, huh?" The man, Sean Klein, had been working together with Reflection for the past hour on realigning the FRS. He wasn't quite as tall, but his blue-grey eyes were full of life in comparison to Reflections own dark ones.

"I never said that. Intelligence can make mistakes, so it's best to be prepared." Picking up one end of the panel that covered the FRS and IRS setups, he waited as Sean hefted up the other.

"Ain't that the truth. Greatest oxymoron in the world second to only one; Military Intelligence." They slammed the panel in place, waiting until the head automatically sealed the panel in place before letting go.

Reflection chuckled as they backed away and onto a lift, escaping as the head armor was replaced over the section they had been working on. "I must ask though," he said as the lift began rising, "what's the first greatest Oxymoron?"

"Simple. Corporate honesty."

"You're right. That is the greatest Oxymoron in the world."

* * *

"I understand… If that one is coming, she's sure to have a fight on my hands."

The room was tinted by the light of dawn, it's normally silver lines turned slightly orange and pink by the sunlight that slowly filtered into it. Her morning tea slowly washed back and forth in its cup, a soft hand holding the dish in place as the Queen's Lance rocked with the choppy seas.

"I understand that, but… No, I'd never question her ability. She can take him, but as her caretaker I must… " Wong Shao-Lung sighed. They wouldn't listen to his pleas; once the chief executives of the Bernard and Felix Foundation decided something, it was almost impossible to change their minds on the matter. He was old in comparison to most Lynx, and no longer capable of piloting a Next to the level that he could in his glory days. In fact, BFF hardly sent him out anymore because he was found lacking. Years of stress from the NEXT's control system had made him weary, his reflexes slower as his mind began to lose focus. Wong's combed back hair had begun to grey as well, and his face already had wrinkles from so many years of worry and tension. Thirty-seven years he had been on Earth and nineteen of those had been spent on the battle field or training his students. In the end, he had found his replacement in the form of a beautiful young woman. She was twenty-two, in the prime of her life, and he did not want to see her suffer the same fate. "…Alright… I'll make the arrangements…"

She watched as her mentor put the phone down. His tanned skin was a direct result of his Asian heritage, as was the deep black hair that crowned his head. The grey at the roots was plainly visible when he turned, as was his expression of worry.

"They're sending you out. With the Intel we received, we know exactly who's coming and where from. All you need to do is kill him."

"Is that all?" Mary Shelley smiled as she sipped her tea, setting it down gingerly on the saucer when she'd finished. Blond curls of hair washed down her shoulders like golden streams, and the piercing blue of her eyes were that of a clear sky at noon. She was European and a beauty as well. "I though I'd have to fight him first."

With a groan, Wong set a folder down on the table. It slid over to her as the Queen's Lance rocked again. "Enough with the horrid jokes. That's all the information we have on the Raven. It's from the informant himself, so it should be genuine."

Grinning madly at her mentor's disgust, she grabbed the folder and began flipping through it, peeking over the edge to see what Wong was up to as he took her cup away. Seeing him ignore her as usual, she pouted a bit as she read over the schematics for the NEXT she would be facing. "You've got to be joking. This is what he's using? A standard AALIYA model without status upgrades for the ALIYA line? That energy whore isn't going to get him anywhere…"

"You speak too soon." Wong placed the tea cup in a pan, signaling the butler to retrieve it. "He's taken down an Original all on his own, two in fact, in just that machine. Besides, Anatolia recently got a shipment of parts from GA. They might be mixing it up a bit."

"Heh, I wish the higher ups would let me change some things on Prometheus. Damn their sense of pride. Adding on a Sniper Cannon would make my job a lot easier… Oh? What's this…?" She'd moved on from the technical files and on to the personal file. There was an admittedly grainy picture of the pilot standing next to several big wigs she recognized as GA higher ups. Her smile widened lustfully as she looked over him. "Mmm… He's got quite a body, that one. Are you sure I have to kill him? I could… bring him over to our side I think, given a chance."

"I don't think so." Wong stated plainly. "Look at his eyes. He's a killer. I doubt he even thinks beyond his current mission and the next."

She looked, sighing afterward. "Maybe your right. I wouldn't mind taking down his PA before offing him though, if you know what I mean."

Wong glared at her. "…The sad thing is, I didn't have a say in being your watchdog."

Mary stuck her tongue out at him. "And it's not like I chose you either. Don't forget that."

"I'm not going to be here to back you up, either. They're moving me to Asia, since Eqbal is giving our insurgency teams trouble."

"Oh? So you're finally leaving me? Why all the worry then. It's not like either of us care." Wrapping a single curl of hair around a finger, she shrugged set the folder down. "I'll kill this one perfectly, just to show you once and for all that I don't need you watching over me."

"Isn't my fault if you die, stupid kid." He left, walking out of her private room and into the hallways beyond. 'You're still only in your twenties, and you've only done so well because your AMS compatibility is so high you've never faced an opponent with any serious skill besides me. You're stuck in patterns, just like I am. That'll be the end of you, just like it will be for me. No matter how much you try and mix it up, you'll still be stuck with what you've been doing. Stupid b$... Go die by a nameless man's hand.'


	10. Part 11

Part 11 – Rain

The roar of the AALIYA's Overboost engine reached across the North Atlantic as it broke the sound barrier, the machine traveling at just past Mach 1 as it approached the BFF fleet. The boom was seemingly canceled out by Prometheus' sniper rifle, which sent a round at the heart of the AALIYA. It heavily dented the Core unit's left side, sending a shock throughout the whole machine.

"Sniper fire… NEXT identified! It's number five, Mary Shelly! Be careful!"

"Understood. I'm placing her elimination as a priority." Another round came howling toward Reflection's machine, a burst of QB saving it from a direct hit. The AALIYA's PA dropped significantly as the round passed through the shield, however. "How much time to I have until the Queen's Lance is in range of reinforcements?"

Fiona checked her displays. The Ark was currently in a high altitude holding pattern over the fleet, acting as Reflections eyes and ears as he chased the fleet across the sea. "Just five minutes! Please, be careful! Her main weapon is the Sniper Rifle, and she's extremely effective with it. Getting in close is your best chance!" Yet another round clashed with the AALIYA's PA, punching through and narrowly missing its head.

As he drew closer, he could see Mary Shelly's machine standing atop an aircraft carrier with its weapons raised and its back to the sun. The heavily armored machine was composed almost entirely of straight, angular lines. The BFF's reputation for precision was represented in all of their products, but Prometheus displayed it better than any other machine in their arsenal. A smattering of deep purple, violet and gunmetal gray was turned to lighter tones as the light of the setting sun splashed down on it from the clouds, with searing bursts of white hot gasses and light from its 050ANSR sniper rifle and 051ANNR standard rifle lighting up its body all the more. The four eyed head stared hard at the approaching AALIYA, which Quick Boost strafed out of harms way as both rifles fired again.

"Goodness! Come all this way to die, have you?" Inside her cockpit, Mary smiled happily as Reflection fired its plasma cannon, the green-white plasma cracking against her PA but hardly breaking through. "Heh… you make a nice target…"

Reflection smirked at her taunts, but didn't answer. Instead, he Quick Boosted into the midst of the fleet, leading several of Mary's shots into an aircraft carrier. Only after he spotted the smoking hole in its bridge did Reflection return the favor. "It looks like no one taught you how to avoid shooting your allies."

Mary blushed, growling lowly as the AALIYA came around the carrier with its Plasma cannon deployed. Both machines fired at the same time, two solid rounds passing close to the particle stream as they flew. Both sides missed, but Reflection was closing in now. Sooner or later, the superior melee ability of his machine would render Prometheus' long range weapons nearly useless. If he could stay close, the less maneuverable BFF machine would falter. That didn't mean it was going to be easy.

"Hmph. You're pretty good." Another sniper round shaved the AALIYA's PA as she took flight, retreating to a different carrier as he closed. "It's useless, though. We're different animals."

What she hadn't noticed, however, was the AALIYA's charging Overboost. A violent roar of Kojima powered thrust sent the AALIYA charging at Prometheus with its MARVE and HITMAN, cutting into the purple and grey machines Primal Armor until it gave. She gasped audible as her HUD began throwing up warning signs about the damage her AC was suddenly taking. Furious and red in the face, Mary hit her thrusters harder than she ever had, taking Prometheus even higher into the sky where the energy lacking AALIYA couldn't follow as well. He didn't have to though, as the AALIYA set down on a carrier and unfolded its plasma cannon once more. Its lime-green lance of plasma carved off a sizeable chunk of Prometheus' BFF made frame, striking just above the waist where it burned for a good half second. A follow up shot slashed the left shoulder, ripping away more armor as the blast continued on its way.

"What?! Is this it?" She shouted with a bit of terror. She had never fought another NEXT, another Lynx, except in simulations given to her. Those were usually inaccurate, as they were based off what little information was shared between the Corporations. The man before her was no simulation however. "…No, I can finish this."

Prometheus took aim as she gained some distance, firing her rifles again as the AALIYA jumped off the carrier deck. Reflection grimaced as she fired again, a sniper round catching the back of his AC's head. For a moment his screens flickered, and damage warnings went off, but everything stabilized. He could still fight, and the roar of his boosters proved it. Just as quickly as Mary had moved away, Reflection closed in again with both hand weapons firing. Prometheus shook from the hits, smoke rising from several joints as it continued firing down at him. Eventually though, Prometheus' generator couldn't keep her airborne anymore. Her lack of Primal Armor completely ruled out her chances of escape as well, and with the AALIYA this close, it was only a matter of time.

"Why…?" She questioned herself as Prometheus hit the water, still backpedaling with its rifles firing. "But my… superiority is…"

'Nobody is superior. It's simply the strength of one's will.'

Her cockpit went dark as a rifle round completely removed the AC's head. "Who…?!"

'Come. You're done here. The others are waiting.'

"…I don't…" She suddenly felt a sticky wetness from her side, and a dull ringing in her ears. She looked down, but wished she hadn't a moment later. "…so I'm…?"

Water began flooding into the cockpit from the hole Reflection's plasma cannon had made. She was sinking, but loosing so much blood that she'd bleed out before the icy waters of the Atlantic could take her. She smiled, sadly. Wong had been right, and she couldn't even apologize to him now.

* * *

"It's confirmed… Prometheus is down. Please, keep it together for just a bit longer, Reflection. You're almost there!"

Another presence had been added to him, but he didn't have time to meet and greet just yet. With a final rage of Overboost, Reflection pushed toward the Queen's Lance with all his might. Missiles from several ships crashed against the NEXT's exposed armor, blowing small chunks of it away as it neared its target. He opened fire with all he had left, bullet cases from the HITMAN raining down upon the sea as the sun began to set on the Bernard and Felix Foundation…


	11. Part 12 and 13

Author's note: My apologies for these chapters taking so long to get out. Between ACfA's Japanese release and school, much of my time has been sapped. Now that For Answer is getting a proper US release, I can finish this up without worry that I'm screwing up the cannon of the series too much.

* * *

Part 12 – Below the Surface

Reflection was nearly unconscious in the Ark's cramped resting area, which was little more than two bunks built into the side of the cockpit. They were at Zextex Global Airport in northern Canada, which was owned and operated by GA, awaiting repairs and supplies for both the NEXT and Anatolia. Their pilot was out getting food from the airport proper while Reflection rested. Fiona was beside him, using an ice pack on his head as Reflection tried to rest. The AMS was taking more and more out of him now after so much combat. Given that this compatibility with the system was unusually high, the level it was set to meant he would burn out that much faster for using a greater degree of control. The red headed woman knew this, and it had been on her mind more often in recent times, but now she was truly beginning to understand what her father had done and what his creation would do.

'One of the 6 Companies just fell by your hand. I never imagined it would have come to something like this…' She thought to him instead of speaking, hoping that it would be easier on him and those within. 'You're truly amazing. I never would have guessed, looking at you back then. I miss those days…'

'As do I.' Jacob replied earnestly. Though he couldn't see her through the ice pack, which had slid down over Reflection's eyes, he could feel her thoughts without any effort. 'When we get back, let's go up to the hills. I miss seeing the sunset from up there.'

'Yeah. I'll bring some snacks, and we can just enjoy it for a while.' She smiled and removed the cold compress from his face. 'It'll be good for us to get away.'

They would have time to do so, as far as Fiona could tell. The Aaliya had suffered greatly from Prometheus' counter-attacks, and though Reflection had won the fight it was hard not to say that the contest of wills could have gone either way. Its head half removed, and huge pieces of its Core armor missing, the Aaliya had certainly seen better days. By his own estimations, Reflection was sure that another sniper round would have punctured his Core in much the same way his plasma had affected Mary's. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that he would regret killing her, especially after her rather obscene outburst upon entering his mind. Finding out she would be involved in a collective of all male essences besides herself didn't make her at all happy with the situation, and realizing that she may well be forced to stay there until Reflection finally met his end made it all the worse.

'Any chance your headache will go away soon?' Fiona inquired as his face tensed again.

He tried to chuckle, but failed. 'I doubt it. For now, I'd better sleep. She'll calm down soon, I hope.'

* * *

Inside his office, Emil pressed his forehead against his folded hands. He had half hoped that BFF's woman would end Reflection, and the headaches he was bringing about. Without him though, Anatolia would fall into ruin, and him along with it. He needed to secure more power to avoid that fate, and GA was helping him get it. What worried him most however, aside from the fact that he had destroyed a Corporate entity via proxy that would certainly send it's remnants against the colony, was the fact that someone had leaked information about the attack to BFF before Reflection had struck. He had known of the leak, but left it alone to see what would come of it. Now that BFF's surprise had failed, whoever had sent the information was probably long gone and therefore the only suspect remaining was himself. Unless something was done, Reflection would obviously come after him. His musings were interrupted by a sudden beeping noise from his desk.

"Director Gustav, we've received a coded message over the Corporate network. Do you want me to send it to you?"

Emil rubbed his hands over his face before responding, trying to get some life back into it. "I've nothing better to do at the moment, so please, send it through."

He was slightly disappointed that he had sounded so flippant about the message; communication from his sponsors was supposed to be welcomed, not looked upon with disdain. In this case however, he was right to dread the coming of the Corporate word.

"…They can't be serious. Why would Leone Meccanica use this kind of weapon against us? True, they had ties with BFF, but this is beyond rational." With a dismissive hand, Emil jabbed 'delete' on his keyboard, removing the intelligence report from GA.

Part 13 - In the Deep

The Juggernaut moved along the Gear Tunnel's rails at a rapid pace, the squeal of its body scraping against the tunnel walls echoing for miles and miles as it rushed toward its target. It had no problem hacking into Anatolia's defensive networks and throwing open the subterranean gates to their city. All but two gates fell to its code before it was within range to strike, where it stopped and waited for its next commands.

They came only five minutes after it had arrived. A signal sent straight from the board of directors at Leone Meccanica; "Destroy target."

And destroy it would. Kojima generators began spinning up with in the beast, alerting every defensive system Anatolia had in the tunnels. Within moments every weapon on its frame, including the internal self destruct system, was ready do strike at any threat that the colony might bring against it. The steady hum of energy emanating from the Juggernaut increased as it began to move again, heading for the first major obstacle in it's path. It slammed against the first unopened gate in it's path, firing streams of Kojima particles to melt it down. Soon enough the door was white hot, sagging under its own weight before it was crushed underneath the Juggernaut's body.

What its programmers had failed to anticipate, however, was that a NEXT would be waiting for it just on the other side.

Without a moment's hesitation, the AALIYA burst forward with its right arm drawn back for a heavy swing of its armored fist. The limb lashed out, seemingly igniting as it slammed into the open Kojima cannon below the machine's heavily armored control unit. The freshly installed CERBERUS parry blade smashed into the cannon's wall, sending and echo of thunder throughout the dimly lit tunnels. The burst of fire and metal it unleashed inside of the Juggernaut caused the whole machine to shudder as if it had received a mortal wound, but instead of slowing it speed up, almost pinning the AALIYA to its body with the speed. A flash of power from the NEXT's hip mounted thrusters sent it away from the beast, allowing for another wind up that struck just above the Kojima cannon, smashing in some of the control unit as the explosive strike impacted.

Amazingly, with the squeal of metal on metal filling the air, the Juggernaut slowly stopped on the tracks. A testament to the power of Eqbal's latest experiment, the prototype CERBERUS unit hung sparking on the AALIYA's right arm, overloaded from both the Kojima exposure and Reflection's overuse of it.

'They really need to improve it's cool down time…' Jacob lamented as several warnings began flashing on the right side of the screen. The other voices began adding in their own opinions on the matter, quickly drowning Reflection consciousness as they all tried to speak from their piece of his mind. Waves of nausea swept over him, all the voices suddenly going quite as they realized what was happening. A lucky turn of events, as Fiona's frantic call for his attention over the radio just reached his ears as the nausea began to recede.

"Energy spike detected… It's going to explode, get out of there!" Instinct took over almost instantly, the AALIYA responding as a part of Reflection's body as it swung around and activated its Over Boost. A sickly green glow slowly formed around the seemingly dormant Juggernaut, its core set to overload upon its failure to destroy Anatolia. Just as the AALIYA's oversized thruster kicked in, the building power erupted from its containment and shattered the hulking metal beast, washing over the underground corridor in a destructive wall of green light. Reflection held on for dear life as his machine took off, barely escaping the raging maelstrom of green hellfire…

* * *

As the AALIYA finally came to rest in its hanger, Reflection relaxed into the cushions of the cockpit seat as the crews outside prepared to retrieve him. He was glad that Sus had instructed him on how to bug Emil's office, though morally Jacob had argued against it. The information which Anatolia's leader had deleted without a second thought had fallen into Reflections hands without anyone being the wiser, and with Fiona's help he'd been able to avert a disaster. 'However, that little conference you all had was hardly helpful. One or two at a time, please.'

'Like you have any room to complain.' Mary commented from the back of his mind. 'At least you aren't living in what feels like an alien.'

'Enough of that,' Sahdana said with an air of authority, "he does have a valid point. That moment when he couldn't even move straight could have been the end of us all. Had he recovered any later, escape would have been nigh impossible."

Jacob chimed in quickly, cutting off Mary's rebuttal. "I agree. We could have died. We know it's easier for Reflection to listen to all of us when he's concentrated on combat, probably due to the endorphins in his blood at that time, but outside of that slim time we can't all speak unless we want to risk his life. I know it's hard, but we need to keep some order."

'I agree.' Reflection nodded to himself, closing his eyes and letting the NEXT power down. 'I certainly don't want to die. All this fighting is getting to me as well, slowing me down with every fight. It's not as significant as it should be, since I'm getting more rest, but it will catch up eventually. Death is inevitable.'

Silence followed Reflections final remark. It was a fact that every one of them knew all too well, as each of them had died. As limited as their second chance was, it was better than the abyss. When the crews finally opened the cockpit to the safety of the boarding tube, Reflection climbed out only to hear Fiona speaking with Emil as they came down the ramp to meet him.

"But why Anatolia?" She was nearly hysterical, still shocked by the fact that a second attack had been launched on her home.

Emil merely waved off her concern. "We are the hand that struck down BFF. Anyone and everyone with connections to them obviously want blood, and it's easier to attack us than to … Ah, there you are, Raven." He went deadpan upon seeing Reflection, knowing that the man probably knew everything he did about the information leak and why it had persisted.

"Emil. Next time, don't leave things to chance. A threat is a threat. It's alright though. Come on Fiona." He smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder, weariness evident in his posture. "We knew this would come. It's nothing to worry about as long as we can stop anybody before they get in striking range of us."

"…If you say so…" She nodded, still distraught but calming down significantly. She followed the Raven as he headed for the surface, letting herself slide closer to him as they whispered to each other.

Emil, alone, looked down the length of the boarding tube to the Armored Core's open cockpit at its end. With a sullen face, he spoke aloud to the dead. "I half wonder what you would think of all this, Professor. Perhaps your ideas were right after all…"


End file.
